The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-12-24

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vious eyes and watering mouths beheld the
demolition of tarts and turnovers. Despite
the keen and searching cold of the noun
tain air, rare and still and trimming with
ozone as November days can ever lind 1t,
the school showed its hands deep in trousers
pockets and stared with all its youthful
might.
Even SO blessed hslf-hour must have
its end, and as the warning bell began to
ring, and the Townies to shout that 'ree-
cess was over, the merry throng, spoil
laden, came pouring down the bakery
steps, with many admonitions to their big
benefactor not to think of starting for the
fort until school was out and they could
escort him home. Two or three of the
smallest still chung to him, explaining that
only the big ones had afternoon school;
they were all through: they had nothing to
do until the ambulance came to take them all
at four o'clock; and the Captain became
suddenly aware of two little people stand
ing on the sidewalk and regarding him
wistfully. One was sturdy boy of seven,
with frank blue eyes and chubby rounded
cheeks picture of solid young America
despite the fact that his little fists were red
and bare; his knickerbockers, though we'll
fitting, were worn and patched, and the
copper toes of his cheap, heavy boots were
wearing suspiciously thin. He stood pro
tectiDgly by little maiden, whose face was
like those of Sir Joshua Reynolds seraphs
"a face as pure an oval as ever sculptor
modelled or painter limned, with great,
lustrous, long-lashed eyes and delicate and
and dainty features, and all about it tumbled
a wealth of glistening golden hair, and ali
over it shone the look of childish longing
and almost piteous entreaty. One little
mittened hand was clasped in her brothers;
the other, uncovered, hung by finger in
her rosy mouth, She was warmly clad;
her little cloak and hood were soft and
white and feecy; her pigmy legs were
cased in stout worsted, and her feet in warm
aarctics, and mothers darling was writ
ten in every ornament of her dress.
Ransom, slowing away a handful of
silver, came suddenly upon this silent pair,
and stopped short Another instant and
he had stopped, raised the younger child
in his strong hands, and with caressing tone
accosted her:
"Why, little Snow-drop, who are you ?
What little fairy you are -
"She amt one of us" piped up youth
full patrician, disdainfully. "She's infantry.
He's her brother, and they don't belong to
the fort"
The boys face flushed, and he looked
at the speaker, but said no
word. Ransom was gazing with singular
intentness into the downcast face of his
little captive.
"Won't you tell me your name, little
one ?" he pleaded. "Why didn't you come
in and have some tarts and turnovers with
the others? I've got to run now and meet
some other old fellows at the stage Office
Here, little man." he said, as he set her
down, ''take Snow-drop in for me, and you
two just eat all you can, and you pay for it
for me-" He held out bright half-dollar,
Snow-drop's eyes glistened, and she looked
eagerly at her brother.
But the boy hung back. For an instant
he hesitated, screwing his boot toe into a
convenient knot hole as means Of covering
his embarrassment "Come, jack" said
the Captain, reassuringly, touching him on
the shoulder. The little fellow shook his
head.
"Why not, my boy?" pleaded Ransom.
"Papa won't mind, when you tell him it was
old Uncle HAL That's what they call me. :"
A lump rose in the youngsters throat
His head went lower
"It-it's mamma wouldn't like it." he
finally said; and just then, with rush and
sputter of hoofs, two officers came trotting
around the corner, threw themselves from
their saddles, pounced upon their comrade,
and overwhelmed him with joyous greeting.
Another minute and others arrived, and
and between them all he was led away up
the street. While some of the children
confidently followed, two remained behind;
little Snow-drop, refusing to be comforted,
was applying the back of her mittened hand
to her weeping eyes, and turning deaf
ear to her mapful brother, who was yainly
striving to explain matters.
sMaudic Cartoons crying because Phil
wouldn't take the money and get her some
goodies" said little Jack Wilkins, in an
opportune pause.
aWhom did you say p asked Ransom,
turning suddenly, and looking inquiringly
at his friends. There was an instant of
embarrassment. Then one of the officers
replied
''Maud Carleton, Ransom, Those are
poor Phil Cartoons little ones"
swat for me at the office, fellows; I'll
be along in a minute" was the response;
aud the Captain went striding back to the
Bald Eagle.
TWAS an old story in the cavalry. Very
few there were who knew not that Captain
Ransom was a hard-hit man when Kate
Perry, the beauty of her fathers regiment,
came back from school, and with all the
wealth of rgrace and loneliness and winn-
ing ways, refusing to see how she had i'm
pressed one or two ''solid" men of the garri-
son, fell rapturously in love with Philip
Carleton, the handsome, dashing scapegrace